1969 Classic, Never a No.1 Hit, Is a Top Karaoke Song Around the World
In 1968, Canadian singer-songwriter Paul Ankaheard the French song titled "Comme d'habitude" while vacationing in the country. He immediately flew to Paris to negotiate for the rights to the song. Sometime later, Anka was having dinner with Frank Sinatra, who at the time claimed he was done with "the business," saying, "I'm sick of it; I'm getting the hell out."
Following the dinner, Anka reworked "Comme d'habitude" for Sinatra, altering the musical structure and changing the lyrics. He finished the song at 5 in the morning and called up Sinatra, who was gambling at Caesar's Palace, and told him, "I've got something really special for you."
The reworked version of the song was the classic ballad we now all know and love, "My Way."
On December 30th, 1968, Sinatra recorded "My Way" in just one take. "My Way" was released in early 1969 on the LP of the same name as well as a single.
In the United States, "My Way" peaked at number 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the Easy Listening chart. The song was unmatched as a hit in the United Kingdom, spending 75 weeks from April 1969 to September 1971 within the Top 40.
The track would go on to become what many consider to be Sinatra's signature song. Despite this, he was famously not a fan of the song. His daughter Tina said her father, "always thought that song was self-serving and self-indulgent."
Over the years, "My Way" has become a global staple for karaoke songs. Because of this, it's available on almost every major digital platform and at every karaoke bar. Fans of the song gravitate towards it for its drama, its build, and its showstopping finale for a singer.
"My Way" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2000. In 2026, CBC News compiled a list of the 250 songs they considered a part of the "Essential American Songbook," where "My Way" also included.
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This story was originally published July 14, 2026 at 9:31 PM.